ROBOTECH REWATCH 35: Field Promotion is for Girls

So, these Robotech Masters dudes are still in orbit around the planet, being vaguely threatening. They want to steal all of the Earth’s supply of Robotech. A world-wide public address announcement goes out, explaining the story so far.

Earth’s military leaders argue about how to best use their greatly-outnumbered forces. Sadly there’s a pre-existing regulation that Earth forces always have to attack first, regardless of whether it makes military sense, because it makes some kind of philosophical statement about them as a race.

THIS IS NOT A GOOD RULE.

Dana and Marie butt heads in the meeting, and both are grumpy about not being in the first wave of the attack against the flagship. Dana is especially displeased about the 15th being put in charge of civil defence instead of getting to attack. Which seems odd considering the attack is happening in orbit!

Sean Phillips, meanwhile, learns that there are definite consequences of getting busted to Private – his usual Veritech hover tank has been reassigned. He finds a brand new prototype tank and is delighted to take it for a spin, but is quickly disabused of his assumption – the new tank is Dana’s, not his. He gets the rust bucket in the corner.

The base comes under such heavy attack during the battle that Dana ends up dragging the 15th out on an unofficial rescue, despite the angry protests of Nova Satori (officially now the Fun Police). To Nova’s shock, Angelo Dante (previous president of the Dana Sterling is Too Damn Impulsive Club) supports Dana’s call, as does the rest of the squadron.

The military leaders realise too late that they need to bring in the 15th, but there’s no time to get them in place. Luckily for them, Dana and her boys are already on the ground.

This is our first real chance to see hovertanks in action, and it’s pretty amazing. Hovertanks are a lot chunkier than the Veritechs flown during the First Robotech War, and they mostly have an open cockpit which seems frankly unsafe. It does mean we get to see Dana’s winged helmet a lot, though, which is kind of adorable.

While being technically ground support, the hover tanks do seem to be able to transform to a flying configuration (or at least they jump and defy gravity quite a lot), and they have a pleasingly high range of weaponry which means LOTS of explosions when they’re around.

General Rolf Emerson discusses the disastrous battle with one of his men, who points out that Dana’s command decisions at least saved the base. He suggests a medal but General Emerson decides to promote her instead.

Remember when I said last week’s shower scene was likely to be replayed? Apparently I was wrong, because Dana gets a whole new shower scene in this episode, which likewise pans over her naked legs but actually holds back from flashing her breasts this time. Is that progress?

She does, however, flash Nova Satori when the MP grumpily admits she’s been sent to escort Dana to a promotion ceremony rather than the brig for her insubordination, and Dana is so shocked that her towel comes flying off. Because anime.

With everyone gathered for Dana’s promotion, the announcement is made but she is nowhere to be seen. Nova is startled as she knows Dana was right there a minute ago…

And in comes Dana, making an entrance in her hover-tank because she didn’t want to get promoted without including her baby. They parade into the assembly hall together, to the eye-rolling and cheers of her squad, only for Dana’s hover-tank to sprout holographic (?) pink bunny ears, and her to regale them all with a bunch of rabbit-and-hat themed puns.